Communal leaders urge Jewish voters to participate in local elections
Local elections on May 4th take place in boroughs outside London with significant Jewish populations, including all of Hertsmere, in Bury and Salford in the north west, and Leeds in Yorkshire
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Local elections in parts of England next month will give offer a high proportion of the community living outside of London the opportunity to cast their votes and select their councillors.
On May 4th,, more than 8,000 seats will be contested at 230 councils across England, including every seat on Hertsmere Borough Council, with its high Jewish population, in Epping Forest, Brighton, and elsewhere in Bury and in Salford, in the north west, and on Leeds City Council in Yorkshire, all with significant communal representation.
Marc Levy, chief executive of Manchester’s Jewish Rep Council told Jewish News that council elections such as those next month are “critically important as local authority decisions have a profound impact on our charities, organisations and wider community.”
The polling expert and Conservative peer Lord Hayward also said the local elections would provide further proof on how successful Labour leader Keir Starmer had been in erasing the stain of antisemitism that had dogged the part last time similar council elections were held in 2019.
Hayward cited the results of the Barnet Council election victory for Labour in May 2022, (London councils are not contested next month), and positive results for the Conservative candidate in a recent Golders Green local poll, as evidence that issues other than antisemitism will be more relevant next month.
In Hertsmere, elections take place in every single borough seat, which includes some of the most highly populated Jewish wards in the country, including Bushey Heath (40% Jewish), Elstree (39.3% Jewish), Aldenham East (36% Jewish), Bushey Park (30.2% Jewish) and Aldenham West (27.9%).
Hertsmere Borough Council – which covers Borehamwood, Bushey, Potters Bar and Radlett – is currently controlled by the Conservative Group, with 28 councillors on the authority benches. The Labour Group is the largest party in opposition, with seven authority members.
All seats on the council are up for election on May 4th, the first election in which voters will have to show ID at the polling booth.
Back in January Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat group leaders in Hertsmere made a “no personal attacks” promise to one another, in recognition that tensions had become too great during previous elections in the borough.
Council leader Maurice Bright said at the time:” In some parts of Hertsmere at election time, the temperature rises and passions overtake principles in a sometimes ungainly scrabble for votes.
All the three party leaders, along with Mark Bilsdon, chief inspector of police in Hertsmere, have met regularly in recent months to see what we can do to make these elections more conducive and less hostile.”
Cllr Bright added there needed to be “buy-in” from all parties and candidates – including those not currently represented on the council – if the promises are to hold.
Labour group leader Cllr Jeremy Newmark said he was “pleased to be part of parallel processes” to lower the temperature of debate both in the council chamber and at election time.
He also noted that Keir Starmer, and not Jeremy Corbyn was now his party’s leader adding: “Finally, in Hertsmere, we’re going to have a set of elections in which Jewish voters can vote for mainstream parties of their choice by expressing their preference on local issues.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Paul Richards also said: “There has been a work in progress, a good start. It would be good to see that practically applied from now own. We do have the eyes of the residents on us all the time and we do have to remember that. We shouldn’t be drawn into personal attacks.”
On Thursday April 20th a hustings took place at Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue, supported by Jewish News, the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council.
But Hertsmere is not the only region in which significant numbers from the Jewish community live.
Bury Council, with the Sedgley ward being home to a population that is 33.8% Jewish, and Pilkington Park (23.%) among those electing a more limited number of councillors than in Hertsmere.
On Salford City Council, locals in Kersal & Broughton Park (46.6% Jewish) will also be asked to cast their votes next month.
Manchester Jewish Rep Council chief exec Levy added: “The JRC hold excellent relationships with local government across Greater Manchester.
“I therefore encourage everyone to utilise their democratic right and vote on May 4th.”
Elsewhere on Leeds City Council, the community in Alwoodley (11.8% Jewish) will also be encouraged to vote.
Back down south, key wards on Epping Forest Borough Council include Buckhurst Hill West (6% Jewish) and Grange Hill (9.4% Jewish).
Other elections to watch include those involving Brighton & Hove City Council, St Albans City Council, Three Rivers Borough Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.
While local issues will be important in influencing how some cast their votes, the national political picture will probably determine which party others decided to back.
The last time similar elections took place was back in 2019, with the Conservatives taking over 3300 seats, leaving the then Corbyn led Labour Party trailing badly in second place with just over 2100 seats.
The Lib Dems came third with just over 1, 200, with the Greens behind them with 240 seats.
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